Love Blossoms
by Midnight Rain 87
Summary: A young fae returns to Underground after growing up with humans. What awaits her there? And what of the one who promised a friend to care for her while she discovers herself? JarethxOC
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth or the characters, I'm just borrowing them._

Prologue

"Lady Karina," an approaching voice called.

She didn't look up from the sleeping baby she held in her arms. She already knew what her most trusted adviser and friend was going to tell her.

"My Lady," Flix said, finally getting the attention from Karina. "His Lord Cirro…" He couldn't bring himself to finish.

"I know," Karina replied.

"I'm sorry," Flix said.

"We could never be fully prepared," Karina said as she gazed down at her sleeping daughter.

"They will be here any minute. We must leave now."

"No Flix," she said as she approached him. "I will hold them off here. You will take my Amaltheia Aboveground."

"Karina," Flix said, dropping the formalism. "We can still escape here."

"They will only come after us. I will not hand over my daughter on a silver platter for them to take when we're boxed into a corner," Karina replied firmly. "Don't make me use your name against you to get you to do this."

Flix let out a sigh. There was no changing her mind. "Alright," he said, taking the slumbering child. "I will take her to Aboveground where she will be safe."

A loud commotion and shouting turned their attention to the door. The fight had finally made it there.

"Go now," Karina ordered as she headed to the door.

Flix flickered out and headed Aboveground.

(scene change)

Flix held Amaltheia in his arm, effectively keeping her quiet as he worked his magic. After weaving new information into the system of the orphanage and placing false memories in it's staff he approached an empty crib in the nursery.

"Nobody will be able to use your name against you, I've seen to that," he quietly cooed, careful not to wake the other sleeping infants. "I promise you, I will retrieve you and bring you home when it is safe."

He gently placed her into the crib. After tucking the blankets around her, he flickered out. When his presence was no longer felt by Amaltheia she began to cry.

_A/N: Thanks to a friend I finally start to post this. I admit that this is my first fantasy fanfic, so if I get anything wrong about the fae, please let me know. I apologize for the vague description for this story, but that is really all I could say without giving a lot away. This is a JarethxOC pairing. I have nothing against JarethxSarah pairings, my mind just didn't go that way. Please enjoy and review._


	2. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth or the characters, I'm only borrowing them._

Chapter 1

_You have no power over me_.

Oh how he hated those words. Because of those words, that one sentence, he had to let her go.

He couldn't forget her.

They were destined to be together. There was no way he was mistaken about that. He had seen it himself in his own future.

But the problem remained… Why had she denied his offer? If she had truly loved him like he had foreseen, then why didn't she stay with him and receive her dreams?

He had no power over her so he did the only thing he could do. He watched.

He watched as she finished school. He watched as she dated and he watched as she fell in love and got married.

Still, he hoped.

Sarah had a happy marriage. Unfortunately, when they time came for her and her husband to want to start their own family, they failed. The tests the doctors performed let them know that Sarah was unable to conceive for different reasons.

At first her husband remained faithful and stayed with her. That only lasted a few more years before he left her for another.

He was certain that she would call for him now. He would be able to give her what she wanted. He would be able to grant her, her dreams.

One dream she accomplished on her own when she adopted a child.

(scene change)

Her arms were outstretched as she ran through the park. Her white sundress shone bright against the sun. Her hair was a dark contrast to her dress, but shined nonetheless. She giggled loudly as she dashed into the shade of the trees. She stopped and turned.

"Don't worry, I'll be back," she said to the spot where her shadow would have been.

She weaved through a few more trees before she found what she was looking for.

"Hello," she greeted as she knelt down.

"Hello."

She looked at the sprites to her left and right. "It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too. I love your dress." said the one on the right.

Her smile widened. "Thank you. My Mama bought it for me."

"Let's play." said the sprite on the left.

"I can't. It took me to long to find you. We have to leave soon."

The sprites let out a moan of "awwwww", pouts gracing their features.

"I'll be back and we'll play then," she assured them.

"Amelia!"

She turned toward the voice then back to her friends.

"I have to go now but I'll be back soon," she promised before standing and heading back the way she came.

She had almost made her way out when something caught her eye, making her stop. She looked back upwards and saw a white owl. They stared at each other till her mother calling her caused her to turn and run towards her voice.

The owl watched as Amelia continued over the small bridge to where her mother was waiting for her.

"Amelia, you had me worried," Sarah said as her daughter approached her.

"I'm sorry Mama. I was looking for my friends," Amelia replied.

Sarah knew that her daughter really didn't have any friends. She didn't know how she didn't when she really was a sweet girl.

"Who?" she asked, knowing what the answer was going to be.

Amelia smiled up at her, "The sprites."

Sarah smiled down at her as she took her hand and started leading her home. Her daughter had always been a peculiar child, but a sweet young girl nonetheless.

(scene change)

"Amelia, what are you trying to reach for," Sarah asked as she approached her daughter. She had come into the living room and found her standing on the foot stool, trying to get a book that was out of her reach.

"My bird book," she answered, turning to face her.

"You could have called. I don't want you falling and getting hurt," Sarah gently scolded.

"I didn't want to bother you since you were busy," Amelia replied.

"I'm not that busy when I do the dishes," Sarah said. She crossed the room and grabbed the bird book that her daughter wanted and handed it to her. "What kind of bird are you looking for?"

"An owl," Amelia answered as she sat down on the foot stool. Once she settled she started turning the pages of the book. "I saw him at the park today. Isn't it weird for an owl to be out during the daytime?"

"It's rare, but not unheard of," Sarah answered as she sat down next to her daughter. She watched Amelia flip the pages, looking for the particular owl she had seen. Her stomach did a flip flop when she stopped at the barn owl.

"It was this one," she said, pointing to the picture. "Wow, he's pretty."

"Yes, very pretty," Sarah said. Her heart hammered in her chest. She forced herself to calm down. It was a great possibility that this owl wasn't the Goblin King, but she couldn't help but wonder. There was still a small possibility. If it was him, what could he possibly want with her, or worse her daughter.

The Goblin King never did make an appearance, much to Sarah's relief. She was sure he didn't try to contact her daughter in any way either. If he had, Amelia would have said something.

(scene change)

She gave her daughter a childhood, the best she could. It was difficult with the school constantly informing her that there was something wrong with Amelia. Her peers would treat her the worst, often bullying her in and out of school. Amelia's only solace was when she was at home and at the park Sarah had grown up playing at.

It wasn't until she was beginning high school that Amelia came home and her mother asked her to sit down. They had something to discuss. She didn't understand what all the medical terms meant, but the one thing she did understand on that paper was cancer.

_A/N: Please don't kill me. A lot of you probably hate me for doing it this way, but this is how it went in my head. Hope you're enjoying it so far and please review. They can give me the motivation to write more quickly. _


	3. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth or the characters, I'm just borrowing them._

Chapter 2

"Um, excuse me Miss Williams?"

Amelia looked up from the computer she was typing at and looked at the young girl from across the front desk. "How can I help you?" she asked with a smile.

"Umm, where can I find the Narnia books?" she asked, her fingers suddenly becoming fascinating to her.

"You'll want to go downstairs, in the room on the right. The third stack on the left at the end on the bottom shelf," Amelia answered. "If you can't find them, let me know and I'll help you."

The girl nodded before leaving the room for the staircase that led down. Amelia knew the girl would most likely ask another librarian on duty to help her if she couldn't find the book series. None of the young kids really talked to her unless they really had to. Come to think of it, people really didn't like to talk to her a lot. She guessed they felt that she was a strange person. She knew she was different, but people shouldn't judge her until they knew her, but they did.

She knew she wouldn't have this job at the library if it hadn't been for mother to come and talk to them. With her connection she was able to get the job and she loved it. She had always loved the smell of books and knew the building like the back of her hand.

She usually had the late afternoon and early evening shifts due to her still being in school. She really didn't mind. Once she had her usual duties done, she was able to study and get some school work done. At the end of the day, she got anxious to get home so she could take care of her sick mother.

(scene change)

It was an unusual day for her to have been well enough to move around. When Amelia was at school and work afterwards, she had to depend on herself to get around the house and get things.

Amelia would be closing the library tonight so Sarah was on her own to get something to eat.

She was about to settle down at the kitchen table when something white outside caught her eye. She knew it wasn't snow since it was in the warmer season. She made her way over to the window and saw a white barn owl sitting in the tree. She wondered if this owl was the person she wanted to speak to right now.

She struggled a little, but she was able to open the window. "Please, come in Goblin King."

At first she thought the owl was just ordinary when it didn't move, but then it gracefully glided through the window past her. When she turned she came face to face with him.

"I was beginning to wonder if you were going to invite me in," he said

"I didn't have a reason to until recently," Sarah replied.

Jareth didn't get his hopes up. For years she hadn't called for him. Sarah didn't have herself in mind when she called for him now.

"Wishing away another child Sarah?"

"More like requesting," she answered, ignoring the jab. "If she chooses to go with you that is."

"She shouldn't be here in the first place," Jareth said. "She's fae, she doesn't belong here."

"...I've had my suspicions," Sarah replied. "She's always been able to see things that we couldn't. She's always been able to come up with magnificent stories and songs."

"Ones that you've never heard before," Jareth said. "It's quiet common for those who are half mortal that grow up on the mortal plane or, those like your daughter who grow up here, to know songs and stories that are ours when they shouldn't know them."

"Yes, that bit of lore I did know," Sarah said as she sat down at the table.

"You request that I take your daughter. I don't grant requests Sarah, I grant wishes."

"If she decides she wants to return home, will you please make sure she remains safe?" Sarah asked. "Jareth, I'm asking you as a friend."

A small shock ran through Jareth as his name was spoken. She hadn't demanded it of him, so he felt no obligation to make or keep the promise but…

"She'll have to say the words herself."

Sarah nodded, understanding the meaning behind his words. "Thank you."

The back door opened then, and Amelia stepped into the house.

"Hi Ma-" she stopped in her greeting when she saw the man standing in the kitchen.

"It's ok, I can see him too." Sarah reassured her daughter.

Amelia relaxed a fraction, but not completely. "He… you're not human…"

"Yes, very good. There is hope for you." Jareth said.

Amelia gave him a confused look. "What do you mean?"

Jareth looked at Sarah, "Would you like to tell her, or would you like me to?"

"Amelia, please sit down. There's something we need to discuss," Sarah said.

She did as her mother asked her, her eyes still on the man in front of her.

"Amelia, you know I gave you a childhood the best I could," Sarah said.

"Mama, you gave me _the_ best childhood. I can't complain," Amelia replied, her eyes finally shifting to Sarah.

"I tried my best," Sarah replied. "Even then, I would never be able to raise you the best way because of who you are."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You're from Underground. You're a fae," Sarah answered.

A look of disbelief came over Amelia's face.

"I've had my suspicions for a long time, but they were now confirmed." Sarah said.

"No I how…" she stuttered. "I can't be fae. There's no way I can be."

"No way that you can be?" Jareth asked, amusement showing on his features. "Think back through your childhood. Whenever you felt fear or anger, things happened around you. You've always been able to see things no mortal can. You know stories and songs that don't exist in this world. You have a beauty that no mortal can match. You've never been able to lie."

"I don't lie," Amelia argued immediately.

"No, you couldn't. Not to mortals. We don't have the free will to lie to them because that would take away their free will," Jareth explained. "Believe it or not you're fae and you don't belong here."

"Who are you?" she asked.

"The Goblin King," Sarah answered.

Jareth glanced at Sarah at her blunt answer then back to Amelia, waiting for the entertainment that was sure to happen.

She was silent for a long moment. "As in the book? Labyrinth?"

Sarah nodded.

Amelia looked back at the Goblin King, seeming to study him for a moment. "Funny, I always imagined you to look more like a goblin."

Jareth let out a bark of laughter. "I think your mother also expected that until she met me when she made that wish."

"You mean…" she looked to her mother. "Uncle Toby?"

"Yes."

She looked back at Jareth and stood up abruptly. "You're that owl that's been watching me all this time!"

He simply smiled at her.

"And you think that's funny?! You're nothing more than a creep to watch me like you have been!"

"That's all I was allowed to do. You're Sarah's adopted daughter. I couldn't approach you until I was called," Jareth calmly replied.

"He has no power over me, that's why," Sarah added.

No power over me. Why did he have to be reminded about that?

Amelia looked at her mother. "Then why was he called?"

"I asked him to take care of you," Sarah answered.

"But-"

"I'm going to be gone soon Amelia. I want to make sure you're taken care of and he's willing."

She shook her head. "I'm not leaving you to die alone here. You took care of me, it's my turn to take care of you."

"You've done more than enough."

"I'm not leaving you," Amelia insisted.

Sarah's hand fisted on the table as she took a sharp intake of breath.

"I'll get you your medicine," Amelia said as she hurried from the kitchen.

Jareth approached Sarah and knelt down in front of her.

"I can make you better Sarah. I can heal you and take you both back with me."

She can't refuse this, couldn't refuse this. This had to be what she wanted.

Sarah shook her head. "No Jareth. Humans die and my time is almost up. I've come to terms with that. All I want is for my daughter to be safe."

_A/N: Jareth has officially made his appearance in this story and the Labyrinth will soon follow. If I write anything that doesn't make any sense for the fairy world, or isn't true for it or the beings, please correct me. The next chapter is currently being worked on and will hopefully be up soon. Enjoy and please review._


	4. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth or any of the characters, I'm just borrowing them. _

Chapter 3

The day was gloomy and overcast. Raindrops were starting to fall and dampen the earth. Amelia stood at the grave, long after the funeral was over. Sarah's father, stepmother and brother had even left, leaving her alone, well almost.

A single white owl sat on a branch overlooking the grave.

She knew it was time to go, she couldn't stay here much longer. He was probably starting to get tired of waiting on her.

She moved away from the grave, knowing this wasn't the right place to disappear from. They would need somewhere that was away from prying eyes.

Sarah had done all the necessary lying since Amelia wouldn't be able to do that. She was going with a _friend_ and would finish school there.

She wouldn't be finishing high school, there was no point in that now.

Amelia entered the park she had grown up in and crossed over the familiar bridge. The place she ran to as a child had dense enough trees to keep people passing by from seeing anything.

She half expected the sprites to be there, ready to greet her.

They weren't.

They had stopped coming as she had as she got older. She had been given responsibilities and she couldn't waste the day away.

She walked further into the small grove of trees, making sure they wouldn't be seen.

"Goblin King."

A white owl gracefully flew in front of her and he stood before her. He looked at her expectantly.

"Everything is in place for me to leave. I'm ready to go," she said.

"You must say the words," he replied.

She let out a small sigh, "I wish you would take me away to your Labyrinth right now."

"Let's go," he said, holding out his hand to her.

She slowly reached her hand out and took his. She felt a surge of energy as the park melted away and was replaced by a stone corridor. He opened the large wooden door before them and stepped inside.

"This will be your personal quarters. There are always servants about, so if you need anything you can ask them."

Amelia stepped into the room. It was large, but comfortable. A canopy bed rested against the far wall. A fire burned in the hearth with a comfortable looking chair in front of it. A large wardrobe occupied another wall. Glass doors led to a balcony.

"I don't want you leaving the castle right away," Jareth started. "I want my subjects to get used to you being around here."

"I can't go out to the court yard or gardens that are inside the castle walls?" she asked.

"No, not yet," Jareth answered. "The castle is your home now, so go ahead and explore and get to know it. The only place I don't want you going to is my private chambers of course and the tower. Anywhere else is alright for you to go."

"Am I allowed to use my own balcony?" she asked.

He glanced at the glass doors before looking back at her, "Yes, as long as you don't try to jump from it trying to fly."

She rolled her eyes as she turned from him.

"Yes your Highnass," she said, not realizing she said it out loud.

She quickly found herself face to face with him and he was sending an icy glare at her.

"You will treat me with respect," he growled. "I will not tolerate that attitude while you're in my presence."

Amelia swallowed hard, instinctively taking a step back. She had to remind herself that she was in the presence of a fae that was much older than she was and had his powers mastered. He could squash her like a bug and not have a second thought about it.

"I'm sorry," she muttered.

The cold glare lightened up, but only a fraction.

"Dinner will be served shortly," he said as he headed for the door.

"I'm really not that hungry."

He stopped and turned to her, "You haven't eaten all day."

"Really, I'm not hungry," she replied.

"Suit yourself," he said as he left, the door closing behind him.

Amelia went to the glass doors and opened them, but didn't go out onto the balcony. A breeze came into the room, bringing with it sweet scents. It tickled a distant memory, but Amelia couldn't recall where she had smelled it before. She stood there, looking out into what appeared to be the gardens for a long while. The sun started to set as the first tears fell.

(scene change)

Jareth stormed to his chambers. The servants were quick to get out of his way, knowing they would be kicked or stepped on. When their king was in a bad mood, his feet showed no mercy.

"I don't want to be disturbed," he told the guards at the entrance to his chambers.

"Not even for-"

"Unless it's something dire!"

"Yes, Sire," they quickly replied, turning their attention back to their post.

The door closed loudly behind him as he started to pace.

Why didn't she accept his offer to help her? It would have been easy for him to cure her and take them both back with him. They would have lived happily had she just accepted it.

Now she was gone and with her his one chance to know what love was. And to top it off, he had her adopted daughter to take care of, a constant reminder of Sarah.

He looked into a crystal at the young girl he had just taken in. She was sitting in the chair in front of the hearth, tear streaks staining her cheeks.

Jareth's grip on the crystal hardened, causing the image within to disappear. He turned and with the momentum, threw the crystal at the wall, making it shatter into a million pieces.

The two guards glanced at each other with the sound, but didn't say a word.

(scene change)

She heard the door open then close, but she didn't fully wake up until she heard the water splash. She lifted her head up, her neck muscles protesting the movement. She raised her hand and rubbed at the aching muscles, trying to work out some of the kinks. She then realized that she had fallen asleep in the chair.

"My Lady, I brought water for you to freshen yourself up with," a voice to her right said.

She slowly turned her head and looked at the female goblin before her. "Thank you," she finally said.

"Ah, uh you're welcome," the goblin replied, obviously not used to the mannerisms her new lady was giving her.

Amelia slowly stood up and stretched, trying to loosen her stiff muscles. She made her way over to the basin and splashed some water on her face. She turned toward the wardrobe when she heard a dragging sound and saw the goblin pulling out a screen by it, effectively blocking the door should somebody walk in.

"What would you like to wear today, my lady?" she asked as she opened the wardrobe.

"Anything is fine," Amelia answered as she continued to splash water onto her face.

"Something pretty for his Majesty I think while you dine this morning," the goblin thoughtfully said as she rummaged through the clothes.

Amelia didn't even try to protest. The goblin would know more about living here than she did, so she let her choose the outfit she would be wearing that day. She dried her face with the towel provided for her and headed for the screen. She came face to face with a dress.

It was light blue with a white front where blue lacing criss crossed. There was a white band around where the elbows were, where it opened up, causing the sleeves to hang low.

The goblin could see the confusion on her face, "Don't worry, I'll help you."

Amelia didn't argue. She had worn dresses before, but this was something different. She was grateful the goblin was there to help her or she might never had gotten dressed. After the dress was on the goblin pulled back her hair and pinned it up on her head. Not to long after there was a knock on the door.

"I'll answer that My Lady," the goblin said, walking around the screen.

Amelia could hear talking, but she couldn't make out what was being said.

The goblin came back around the screen, "It seems his Majesty won't be able to join you today. I'll show you to the dining area."

She nodded and followed her out of her room and to a side chamber not far away.

(scene change)

Amelia spent the next few days getting to know her new home. The first day she was there, she managed to find the doors that lead to the castle gardens. The guards there wouldn't allow her to go any further. They most likely had the order given to them by the Goblin King himself. She knew it would have been pointless to argue or bargain with them.

The next day was another day of hall roaming. She came upon a set of double doors, but all the noise kept her from going inside. She didn't know what lay beyond them, but if it was full of goblins, she didn't want to meet them yet. She was sure they wouldn't do anything to hurt her, but she didn't want to find out if she was right. Not without some form of protection from the Goblin King.

She backed away from the doors and back tracked until she came upon a hallway she didn't recognize. She went down it, the sun beating down on her through the high windows. It opened up into a large room and she stopped short.

Staircases.

A lot of them built in a way that shouldn't be possible. She turned back towards the door, ready to leave the room, but she hesitated. She turned back around and faced the room. She would have to know her way around in it sooner or later.

She took a deep breath and headed down the first staircase. The first path lead her to a dead end entirely. The next path she backtracked to lead her to a path that ended. She was about to turn around and head back when she remembered when her mother told her the story of when she came through here to save her brother Toby. The Goblin King seemed to glide over the edge up to the path she was on. Maybe she could do the same.

She came up to the edge and looked down. There were more staircases to explore. Holding her breath and closing her eyes, she stepped off the edge and she felt her body lung forward. She opened her eyes, expecting to see herself hurtling towards the bottom. Instead she continued to swing forward and her feet found the solid surface of her next path.

She knew she was upside down, but she didn't feel like she was upside down. Her hair and dress remained as if she was standing right side up. The staircases that were right side up and leading down when she looked at them had now flipped. It was if the room was the one that went upside down instead of her.

She reached for the wall to help steady herself as the feeling of vertigo overtook her. When she felt she had her bearings back she continued on her path.

Several staircases later she managed to find a long hallway. It seemed to stretch on. She felt like she was walking towards a dungeon due to the lack of windows.

She abruptly came to a stop when she saw two guards at the door. She decided to continue on. Even if they did stop her, it wouldn't hurt to find out where the door lead.

"My lady, how did you get here?" one of them asked.

"I walked," she answered. It should have been obvious since they saw her approaching.

"You shouldn't have. The entrance to this hall should have been guarded," the other replied.

"Nobody was there when I came from the room with the staircase," she said.

"You can't go any further. I'll have to ask you to leave," the first one said.

"Alright," she said as she turned.

"So, you made it through the staircases," Jareth mused as he watched her through the crystal sphere. "Quite impressive."

He continued to watch her, wanting to see how she got around in the staircases. He watched as she did her best to backtrack to where she had been. He was sure she was trying to make her way out, but she couldn't find the back. It wasn't until she found her way to a particular staircase that he stood and shifted to where she was.

Amelia continued up the winding staircase then stopped when she felt something. Air?

"I don't think I'm allowed up there," she muttered to herself. She turned and nearly jumped out of her skin. Her hand going to her chest as her heart hammered against it. "Do you really need to appear out of nowhere like that?"

"I was making sure you weren't going somewhere you weren't supposed to go," Jareth calmly replied.

"That's what I thought," she replied. "I felt air. So that's the tower?"

"Yes."

"Ok, I'll head back then," she replied.

"Come on," he said, gesturing for her to follow.

She hesitated for a moment before she followed him up. As they went, the air got stronger, then the stairway opened to the tower.

Amelia was immediately taken aback by the beauty of it. The city stretched out below them. She could see the residents scurrying about. Most likely going home as evening fell. The Labyrinth stretched out far beyond the city.

"Wow," she breathed as she took in the sights.

Jareth watched her, as if calculating her reactions.

"This is beautiful," she said after a long moment. "Just...wow."

He had to admit, that wasn't the reaction he was expecting.

She finally turned to him. "You created this using your magic?"

"Most of it," he answered. "A lot of it also runs on my magic."

"Wow," she repeated, looking back out to the Labyrinth. "That's even more impressive."

They stood there in a comfortable silence for a long moment. Amelia looking out at the Labyrinth and city and Jareth standing there watching her.

"Look," she said, finally turning to him, "I owe you a proper apology for my attitude the other day. It was childish and I'm sorry."

There was a long moment of silence between the two. Just as it was getting uncomfortable he finally spoke, "Accepted."

He broke eye contact with her and walked to the railing, placing his hands and leaning on them as he looked out towards his city.

She walked behind him to another part of the tower, eyes fixed on the Labyrinth. She soon moved to another part, as if following something and wanting to keep her eyes on it.

"Is it always changing?"

"Yes," he answered, not looking at her.

"How did my mother get through this?" she asked.

"That's something I would like to know," Jareth replied, finally turning to her. "It's not an easy feat to get through."

"I can see that," she said, eyes still fixed on the Labyrinth. "And she always said it was a piece of cake," she muttered with a small smile and shake of her head.

Jareth turned his back to her again. She definitely wasn't going to make forgetting Sarah any easier. Maybe he should have thought twice before agreeing to look after her daughter, but he couldn't do that. Not to the woman he loved. That and Amelia would have to take back the wish.

He couldn't help but revisit the thought of why she wouldn't let him cure her. What was the reason behind her decision? That was the problem with mortals. They were so difficult to figure out.

He became so wrapped up in his thoughts that his mask fell, leaving him unguarded.

Amelia felt the tension building and decided it would be best to leave him to his thoughts for now and headed for the staircase.

"I expect you at dinner," he said before she could leave.

"I'll be there," she replied.

(scene change)

Dinner with the Goblin King was uneventful. Amelia thought that maybe they would talk more. Maybe he would even start telling her about the realms of Underground and maybe the realm he ruled.

No such luck. He really didn't say anything to her and she didn't know how to get a conversation started with him since she really didn't know him. Whenever she was out and about in the castle he was even more scarce.

Rain kept her from opening her balcony doors and enjoying the fresh air the Labyrinth had to offer. It had been like that for a couple of days, and she was bored out of her mind. Deciding not to keep herself cooped up in her room any longer, Amelia left for another day of hall wandering. Maybe she'll visit the rowdy room she found a few days earlier and see what it was. She would have to meet the Goblin King's subjects sooner or later.

She headed that way, but found another hall she hadn't been down. Deciding to let the room wait a little longer she headed down the new hallway. The high windows on one side allowed the shadows the rain created to play on the adjacent wall. She idly watched the shadows as she walked, but they soon disappeared as she came upon a large room, completely filled with books.

She let out a small breath as she realized she just found the library. She slowly walked in, taking in the sight and smell of books. If she was going to start learning about herself and the realms this was the place to be.

She walked to the first stack on her left and started skimming the titles on the spines and became confused. The Little Mermaid, Snow White, Rapunzel… What were fairy tales doing here?

"Oh no!" a voice squeaked.

Amelia looked around her, but didn't see anybody.

"NO! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!"

Amelia came around the stack in time to see five books fall to the floor and a little goblin losing her balance on the ladder

"Eep!" she squeaked as she started to tumble after her lost books.

Amelia rushed forward and was able to catch the little goblin before she could fall to the floor.

"Are you all right?" she asked as she gently put her down.

"Yes I am. Thank you," she replied as she started to pick up the books. "I would have been a goner if you-"

She stopped as she finally looked at Amelia and took in her appearance. "Ah!" she yelled as she dropped her books again and started bowing. "I'm sorry for causing you trouble my lady! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

"It's ok, it's ok," Amelia assured her, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "That would have been a nasty fall for anyone."

"I still caused you trouble, I'm sorry," the little goblin insisted.

"Really, it's ok," Amelia reassured her. She knelt down and started picking up the books.

"I can get those," the little goblin said, hurriedly taking the ones out of Amelia's hands and picking the last ones off the floor. "I hope they aren't too damaged."

"They should be ok. Books are very resilient," Amelia said.

"I know. I just don't want them getting harmed because of how clumsy I am," she replied.

"They survive falls very well," Amelia said. "I used to work in a library and I was dropping books all the time."

"You used to work in a library?" the goblin asked, her eyes lighting up.

"Mm-hm," Amelia answered. "I lived in the human world before I came here and I worked in a library."

"You came from the human world?" the goblin asked, a stunned look coming over her face. Her books started slipping from her hands, but she caught them before they could fall again. "How, why?"

Amelia took a moment to think about that. "I...don't know. I was raised there, but I don't know how I got there, or the reason why I was left there."

"But, our king brought you here. At least you're in the world you belong in now." she replied.

"Yes," Amelia muttered and looked down at the books the goblin was holding. "Speaking of your king, why does he have books on human fairy tales?"

"You don't-" she caught herself before she could ask the full question. "You wouldn't. You've lived in the human world all this time. Kingy deals with wishes, dreams. He has these so he knows about the fairy tale endings that humans like so he can grant them when they wish them."

"Wishes and dreams," Amelia muttered.

"He'll be able to tell you more about his magic," the goblin said.

"I guess I'll have to ask him," Amelia replied, smiling down at the little goblin. "Is there a name I can call you by?"

"Ummm," she hesitated for a moment, but she was the new lady of the castle. If she wanted something, she was given it. That was the rules. "Gina."

"That's a pretty name," Amelia said. "Please, call me Amelia."

Gina's eyes widened twice their size at that. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! I can't do that! I'll accidentally influence you!"

"It's...not my real name," Amelia said, realization dawning on her. "It's not my real name. It never was my name… I don't even know what my real name is…"

"My lady?"

"You may call me Amelia," she said, careful to avoid using Gina's name so she didn't influence her.

Gina timidly nodded at her.

"So, let's get these books back on the shelves."

_A/N: Sorry for the late update. I was working on and off on this chapter and writer's block was constantly getting in my way, but I finally got this chapter done. Thank you for your patience on this one. Hope you're enjoying, please review._


	5. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth or the characters, I'm just borrowing them._

Chapter 4

Amelia had come to spend most of her time in the library with Gina and had grown fond of the little goblin. She had so much energy and was quite intelligent. Since she was still so young, her duties were to keep the library in order and to clean and polish the king's boots. Despite that, she loved her work in the castle.

Gina quickly warmed up to Amelia since she was the first adult in a long time, aside from her parents, that actually wanted to talk to and spend time with her. She couldn't quite bring herself to just call her Amelia and insisted on putting the title of Lady in front of it.

Amelia didn't mind. It was a start.

"Humans really are helpless without their contraptions," Gina mused as she allowed Amelia to put a few books away, that were on a higher shelf, for her.

"Mm-hm. They really don't have any magic themselves, which is what separates them the most from us," Amelia replied as she climbed down the ladder. "When they do see real magic, they tend to disbelieve it, or not acknowledge it. Usually children are more perceptive because their minds haven't been corrupted to turn a blind eye to magic, but disbelief grows in them as they get older."

"Because the older humans or their parents make them disbelieve."

"Exactly," Amelia replied. Gina really did catch on quickly. "Although there are humans who do believe in the fairy realm and even claim to see creatures of myth. They are often ridiculed and usually keep what they see to themselves."

"Wow. Kingy never told me that before."

Amelia looked at her curiously. "You talk to him often?"

"Mmmm sometimes," she said. "He's been busy lately. The turning of the season is coming soon and there have been a Redcap problem."

"Redcaps?" Amelia questioned, looking concerned. She had read about them in Scottish lore and knew they were nasty creatures.

Gina nodded at her. "They've been running about in the Labyrinth lately. His Highness has been getting rid of them, but they keep coming back."

A small chill ran down Amelia's spine. She really didn't like the idea of them running about in the Labyrinth and she certainly didn't want to run into any of them.

Gina quickly noticed this. "They've never made it to the city though. Kingy never lets them get that close."

"I still don't like the thought of them running around out there though," Amelia replied.

"You've seen the Labyrinth. It's always changing. It's never the same when they come back," Gina tried to assure her. "They would never make it through."

Silence stretched between them for a few moments.

"Do you know where His Majesty is?"

"If he isn't in the throne room then he's either in his personal quarters, or at the tower," Gina answered. "Do you want to see him?"

"Yes, there are a few things I want to ask him."

(scene change)

After making a few inquires about the castle, Amelia and Gina found out that he hadn't been seen anywhere which meant he was either in his quarters, or the tower. Deciding not to try his personal quarters, since the guards would stop her, Amelia decided to try the tower. It took her an hour to remember how to traverse the many staircases, but she managed to find the winding staircase.

"I told you, you weren't allowed up here," Jareth said as she came up the last few steps.

"You weren't anywhere else," she replied, making him turn to face her.

"You could have just called," he said.

"And make me jump out of my skin again? No thanks," she said. She crossed her arms and took a breath. "Did I do something to make you angry at me?"

"Am I supposed to be angry at you?"

"I don't know you tell me," she replied. "I feel like you're avoiding me. The only time I see you is at dinner and even then you really don't talk to me."

"I didn't realize I was supposed to keep you company," he said, also crossing his arms.

"That's not what I meant," she replied as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Then spit it out."

"I know you're busy, and I'm sorry. Just… When you have the time, could you possibly give me some form of direction so I can start learning about what I can do?" she asked. "I'm not going to jump off a high place to see if I can fly. I already learned that I can't."

Jareth looked at her in silence for a moment. "You mean to tell me you actually did that?"

"You mean to tell me you weren't watching that day?" she retorted. "Yes I did and I was four when I did it. Moving on."

"When I find the time I'll see what I can do. Until then, you'll have to exercise some patience," he said, turning his back to her.

"Thank you," she said before turning back to the stairs and headed down.

It wasn't until she was out of earshot that the Goblin King let out a low chuckle.

(scene change)

Jareth was called from his thoughts as there was a tiny knock on the door.

"Come in," he said, knowing who it was.

Gina walked in carrying brushes and polish. She closed the door behind her and bowed.

"Begging your pardon Your Highness, but I'm here to polish your boots," she timidly said.

Jareth gestured to the wardrobe where they were kept and went back to the letter in his hand. He had to admit, he wasn't happy about it. He really didn't want to have to meet with this particular fae, but because he was a lord, and him being a king, he had to. Socialization wasn't on his highest priority list, but it was on everybody else in the realms. This particular fae always seemed to want to socialize with the Goblin King before the summer gathering every year. It got rather annoying.

"Excuse me, Your Highness."

He turned his head and regarded the goblin.

"Would you like the boots you're wearing to be polished as well?" Gina asked.

"Might as well," Jareth said with a sigh. He turned his chair towards her so she had access to his feet. She wasted no time in starting to clean them.

"Will his Lordship be visiting us again this year?" she asked after a few moments of silence.

"You know the answer to that," he replied heatedly. "He comes every year."

"I'm sorry for bringing it up," she quickly said as she started to scrub a little harder at a particular scuff that didn't want to disappear.

"I'll have to listen to more of his boring drivel, gossip I don't care to hear...partnership," he muttered aloud to himself.

Gina glanced up at her king for a moment. She had to wonder why he continued to host this fae if he didn't like him so much. He had reasons for it, she knew, but she couldn't understand those reasons. That was why he was the king and not any of them.

He let out a long breath then regarded the goblin working on his boot. "I see you've gotten particularly close to the new Lady."

"Yes Your Highness," she replied, looking up at her king. "I really like her. She's kind, intelligent and very pretty… She also seems to like to talk to me."

"Yes. She seems to like to talk to everybody."

"I-if you don't want me talking to her anymore I can stop," she said.

"It's fine as long as she doesn't' mind," he replied. "What do you two talk about?" he asked, more to keep the silence from taking over.

"Lots of things," she answered enthusiastically. "She recently told me about humans and the contraptions they have to help with their daily lives." She was silent for a moment but stopped in her work and looked up at her king. "Did you know the human fairy tales had darker endings than like the happy ones you have in the library?"

That seemed to peak Jareth's interest. "Really? I'll have to ask her about that."

"Yes, it's very interesting," Gina replied as she went back to her work. She didn't say anything more about it, not wanting to take away the opportunity to tell him from Amelia.

Jareth started tapping his fingers on the armrest of his chair. That would certainly take his mind off things for a while, but he had things to think about right now.

"Your Highness I was thinking," Gina timidly said, making Jareth look down at her. "Um, why not take our new Lady to the seasonal gathering?"

Jareth's look darkened at that suggestion.

"It's just that, well…" she stumbled, and started shaking as her king's look grew darker. "She's been cooped up in the castle since she got here, it'll give her a chance to socialize a little and maybe the fae that have been trying to become your partner will leave you alone if you have her with you."

Jareth's mood didn't lighten up any but they were interrupted.

"Your Highness!"

There was a hasty knock on the door then a guard hurried in "Your Highness, more are back!"

Gina was quick to get out the king's way as he stood. Instead of walking out of the room, he shifted out. Gina hoped her punishment wouldn't be to harsh when he returned.

(scene change)

Amelia leaned against one of the windowsills of the hall that led to the library. Her chin rested in her hand as she watched the birds go flying by. She turned her head to the entrance of the hallway when she heard the clicking of boots. Thinking the Goblin King would be passing by to the library she turned her attention back out the window.

"Would you like to have a closer look at them?"

She jumped when his voice came from behind her.

She slammed her hands down on the stone windowsill. "Even when I know you're there you still make me jump!"

"I guess I just have that effect on you," he replied. He leaned on the wall next to her, a small smirk playing on his lips.

She was surprised to see that he actually was wearing a smile, even if it was to tease her.

"Well?"

She was immediately jerked from her thoughts. "Please."

Instead of using his magic to shift them, he led her down the halls.  
"As you may have been told, I'm dealing with a Redcap problem," Jareth said as they walked. "When I'm not here, I want you to stay in the castle where it's safe. Since you've kept your patience and did as I asked, I'm allowing you to be in the gardens and you'll be able to start exploring the city."

"Really?" she asked, unable to hide the excitement in her voice.

He nodded. "Word about you spread a little quicker than I anticipated. My subjects seemed to have taken a liking to you."

"That would be a first," she muttered as they came upon the doors that led to the garden, the guards pushing them open.

"The human world is different from ours and the creatures that live within," Jareth said as they stepped out. "Humans don't understand our kind and they tend to not like what they don't understand."

"You would be surprised," Amelia replied.

"You're adopted mother being one of the few exceptions," he clarified.

She nodded as the memories of the story came back to her. "She never blamed you, you know," she said after a moment.

He turned and looked at her.

"For taking Uncle Toby," she clarified. "You were only doing what was asked and she understood that later on in her life. She always told me that she had you to thank for making her grow up a little."

He gave a thoughtful noise as they walked further into the garden.

"I never really knew if I believed in the old story or not," Amelia said absentmindedly. "As I got older I always thought that everything I had seen was all in my mind. Then again, there always was a barn owl that showed up somewhere." She regarded him with a small smile.

"Yes, the barn owl that was a creep for watching you all these years," he replied.

"It's creepy when you stop to think about it," she said.

She stopped when a particular scent hit her nose. She immediately started looking around for the source and spotted a tree full of blossoms. Jareth also stopped and watched as she approached the tree. She tenderly grabbed a hold of one of the branches and breathed in the scent.

"That smells so wonderful," she breathed.

"It's been _affectionately _called Love Blossoms," he said as he approached her. He easily caught a blossom in the palm of his hand that was blown loose from the breeze. "The petals of the flowers are in the shape of a heart hence the name."

"Oh, they are," she said as she looked at the blossoms she currently had a hold of. She leaned in and breathed in the scent again. "It sounds strange, but I know this scent."

"You could have come across it before you went to the human world," he replied. It was a slim chance though. There was only one other place this kind of tree was, this one having been a gift.

Amelia released the branch she was holding and started moving away from it.

"There was something I wanted to talk to you about," Jareth said as he fell in step beside her.

"Yes?"

"I will be hosting another fae that is a lord from another realm this evening. Would you like to join us?" he asked. "It would give you a chance to meet another fae, but his choice of conversation can get inappropriate."

It was apparent in his voice that he really didn't like to socialize with this particular fae. "Sure, I wouldn't mind," she said, hoping that maybe the dinner would be easier to get through with her there.. "Which realm is he from?"

"Bonds," Jareth answered. "They are the seekers that look for the best ways to keep our bonds between our world and that of the humans. That may be a particular human good at telling stories and they're used to spread those stories, or they'll multiply certain stories and spread them throughout the human world."

"Do the bonds disappear over time?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.

"There is always a bond somewhere, but it's best to keep as many as we can and keep them strong," he explained. "It can make going to and from the human world difficult if there aren't that many."

"I see," she said.

"You're sure you wouldn't mind joining us?" he asked. Having Amelia there may make his visit more bearable.

"I don't mind," she assured him. "Thanks for warning me about his inappropriateness. If there's still time, what other realms are there?"

(scene change)

Jareth had spent a good portion of the day telling her about the other realms of their world. He left when one of the goblins announced the lord's presence within his kingdom. Shortly after Amelia went to her quarters and got ready for the dinner that they were to have together.

The dress that had been chosen was a white velvet that was trimmed in black. Her hair had been put up in what seemed to be an impossible bun with tendrils. A touch of makeup had also been added to enhance her beauty. She had protested the makeup, but had been informed the king had requested it. After she had been made up she was led to a sitting room until the dinner was actually served.

She took this time to think about what Jareth had told her about in the garden. The Bonds realm, where this particular fae was from, worked alongside the Seers of the realm of the Future. The Seers found the humans who would be the best at spreading the stories and belief of the fairy realm, or finding the stories that would best be suited for strengthening the bonds. Even though all fae could see into the future, the Seers had the strongest power to see the future.

Then there was the realm of Nature. The elemental fae lived there. The Earth elementals had separated from the rest of the elementals due to there being disagreements and conflicts with the rest of the elementals and the overseeing family. The fighting was kept within their realm to avoid conflict with the other realms. The conflict never started anywhere else, especially the gathering for the changing season. The Earth elementals usually stayed away from the gatherings so trouble didn't start with the others. The troubling part about the conflict was that nobody even knows what the fighting was about anymore, or how it even started.

Her thoughts were interrupted when there was a gently knock on the door and a goblin peeked her head in.

"Begging your pardon My Lady, but dinner is served."

"Oh, thank you," Amelia replied as she rose from her seat.

The goblin led her to the dining room and opened the door after giving it a gentle knock. The two males watched as she entered the room and Amelia suddenly felt self conscious with their gaze fixed on her.

The lord looked young, with dark hair and dark eyes to match. The clothes he wore were vibrant colors and a cloak hanging off his shoulders.

He gave a low whistle as he took in the sight of her. "My, my my. Aren't you a lovely young lady?" he said as he approached her and held out his hand. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"The pleasure is all mine, My Lord," she replied as she allowed him to take her hand and place a small kiss upon her knuckles.

"And a polite one too," he said, turning and giving a sly smile to Jareth to which he ignored.

"The longer we stand here and talk the colder our dinner gets," he replied as he walked towards the table.

"Of course," the lord said, leading Amelia over by the hand. "Allow me," he said as he pulled out a chair for her. She carefully pulled her skirts in and took her seat after the Goblin King had done so. She visibly stiffened when the lord started pulling out the chair beside her.

"No."

He looked up at the Goblin King before he could fully pull out the chair. He pointed at the seat across from Amelia.

"As you wish Your Majesty," he said with a smile before pushing the chair back in and started to walk around the table.

Amelia glanced and the Goblin King and mouthed "thank you" at him while the lord's back was still turned. He gave her a slight nod before turning to the meal in front of him.

"So, how long do you think before the fighting starts again?" the lord asked as he started digging into his meal.

"Only time will tell," the Jareth replied.

"What do you think My Lady?"

Amelia took a moment to figure they were talking about the Nature realm and the elementals. "I try not to get too involved in the fighting," she answered.

"As does everybody," the lord said with a smile.

"Then there's no use in dwelling on it," Jareth said.

"Of course," he said, his smile still plastered to his face and he turned to Amelia. "Are you the young lady that has stolen our dear Goblin King's heart?"

Amelia nearly choked on the wine she had taken a sip of. "Excuse me?" she asked once her throat was clear.

"He is the most sought after bachelor," he said. "You mean to tell me you're not here for his heart?"

"No," she quickly answered.

"She's here to learn from me," Jareth said.

"Oh really?" he asked, turning his attention to Jareth. "It's been quite a while since you've taken on a student."

"Strictly learning," he growled.

"Ok, ok," he said, raising his hands in submission.

Amelia quickly understood why the Goblin King wasn't looking forward to this dinner with this fae. He made assumptions and didn't like to believe in the explanation.

He spent the majority of the evening talking about the latest gossip and how some of the ladies of certain courts were looking forward to seeing the Goblin King at the summer gathering. Amelia glanced at the king during the meal and it seemed that he was getting rather bored with the conversation, no, jabbering of the lord. She couldn't help but keep glancing at the lord's hand that continued to rest precariously next to his goblet.

"My Lady, have you seen the lovely Love Blossom His Highness has in his garden?"

"Yes, he showed me it," she answered.

"Really?" he said, glancing at Jareth. "Do you know about the legend of Love Blossoms?"

Amelia put her silverware down and shook her head at him as she leaned back in her chair.

"Legend has it, that if you see a Love Blossom with the opposite sex, you were destined to be together. If you see a Love Blossom with the same sex, you will have a wonderful friendship together," he explained, his voice taking on a dramatic tone.

"It's only a legend," Jareth said, knowing who he was destined to be with. Was being the key word.

"Not many people would agree with you," the lord replied, flashing a smile that showed his teeth.

"Excuse me, My Lord-"

He waved a hand at the formality. "Please call me Berch," he interrupted, mumbling his name due to wiping his mouth with the napkin.

"I'm sorry, Bert?" she asked.

"No Berch," he clarified with a low chuckle. "B-e-r-c-h."

"Oh, Berch, you have a piece of food stuck in your teeth," she said.

"Do I?" he lifted a spoon and looked at the reflection in it. "Yes I do."

He lifted his other hand to take care of it, catching the goblet in the process and tipping it over.

"Damn!" he cursed as the wine he had been drinking spilled onto the tablecloth and onto his clothes. He grabbed the napkin and started to frantically wipe at them.

Jareth waved his hand and the wine disappeared from the tablecloth and overturned goblet stopping the flow of the wine.

"Some help here," Berch said.

Jareth shrugged. "It's not my clothes."

He shot him an annoyed look before straightening. "I guess I'm taking off early so these don't get stained. Your Highness, My Lady," he gave them a quick nod in turn before shifting out of the dining room.

Jareth turned his eyes onto Amelia who had started giggling behind a hand.

"That's why you put your goblet behind your plate and not next to your hand, idiot."

He blinked at her for a moment before a smile spread across his lips and a laugh escaped him. "I was wondering how you were going to get him to spill that. I saw you kept glancing at his hand."

She shrugged. "Well I wasn't planning anything, I was waiting for it to happen. Then he got a piece of food stuck in his teeth."

He let out a chuckle as he stood. "I'll have to remember that next time I want to get rid of him."

"I'm glad I was able to be of some help," she replied with a smile.

He passed her chair then stopped and turned to her. "Would you care to have some tea with me? Chamomile is really good to help you relax before bed."

"Yeah," she said with a nod. She stood and followed him out of the dining room.

He led her to his personal sitting room with plush chairs in front of a roaring fireplace. He gestured for her to sit as he ordered for their tea to be made. She made herself comfortable in one of the chairs, leaning back into the soft cushion. Jareth shortly followed suit and they sat in silence for a few minutes.

Amelia finally turned to him. "May I ask you something?"

Jareth turned his eyes from the fire to her. "I was told that you deal with wishes and dreams. Those wishes aren't for free, are they?"

He shook his head. "There is always some form of payment for each wish I grant."

"What is the price I'm paying for wishing to come here?" she asked, dreading what the answer would be.

"I have claim over you," he answered. A look of shocked confusion came over Amelia's face and he started to explain before she could speak. "That only means that I choose when you get to leave. That will be when you discover your powers and when you're able to defend yourself. Only then will I allow you to leave."

She remained silent for a moment, digesting what he had told her. "Why so much concern for me?"

Jareth turned his gaze back at the fire. "I made a promise to keep you safe and I intend to keep it," he said, then turned back to her. "Now I have a question for you. What is your favorite fairy tale from the human world?"

She smiled. "Beauty and the Beast."

"You really didn't need to think about that," he said, amusement in his voice.

"It's always been my favorite," she replied. "It gives the lesson that you have to get to know someone in order to know who they are instead of judging them by their appearance. It's a lesson that has been taught for centuries in the human world yet very few of them learn from it." She turned and looked at the fire. "I tried so hard to give people the benefit of the doubt but…"

"They missed out on someone they could call a friend. It's their loss so don't dwell on it." he advised.

She glanced at him, gracing him with a small smile. Not long after their tea was served and they spent the rest of the evening together in a comfortable silence.

_A/N: Sorry for the delay on getting this one up, hopefully the length of the chapter makes up for the wait. I feel like I could have done more with this chapter, but at the same time I'm really happy with it. I hope you enjoyed. Please R&R. _


	6. Chapter 5

_It was brought to my attention that my line breaks weren't even posted with my story. I worked for at least an hour trying to get it to work, but fanfiction wouldn't let me for some reason. So whenever there is a change in the scene, (scene change) will be written until the line break works for me again. Bandchildforever, thank you so much for letting me know that the scene changes were confusing so I was able to fix that. P.S. Sorry for the slow update. Had a small problem with writers block, working on a cross stitch project for a Christmas present and work made this update slow. I hope the length of the chapter makes up for it being late. Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth or the characters, I'm just borrowing them._

Chapter 5

Jareth sat in his throne room, his leg hanging over one of the arms. The goblins were going about their usual antics in the room as he stared at the clock on the wall. He didn't have much time left to make a decision to take Amelia with him as his escort to the summer gathering the elementals would be hosting in a few days. He sighed as he flicked his wrist and produced a crystal into the palm of his hand. He focused his attention on different parts of the Labyrinth, making sure the Redcaps hadn't returned.

His attention was broken when the goblins started cackling loudly. He closed his hand, making the crystal shrink and disappear. He swung his leg over the arm and stood from his throne. There was a brief silence in the room, the goblins thinking he was going to say something, only to watch their king leave the room.

He wandered through the quiet halls of his castle. He had to admit that the young goblin, Gina, had a point. Amelia really had been cooped up in the castle for quite some time, only recently been given the freedom to go out in the garden and city. She did need to socialize with other fae besides himself and Lord Berch.

The problem still remained. If he were to escort her to the gathering, she would undoubtedly be bombarded with the jealous females who wanted to be his permanent partner. He wouldn't be able to be by her side every minute of the event, he was expected to socialize. He would have to let her make the final decision to go.

He shifted to the library, thinking he would find Amelia there. Instead he found Gina hard at work and alone. She let out a small squeak when she turned and saw him.

"I'm sorry Your Highness!" she quickly said, bowing. "I didn't know you were here."

"Where's Lady Amelia?"

"Umm, she said she was going to be in the gardens today," she answered. "She said she was going to try to figure out some of her magic."

"I see."

He turned and left the library. Gina was left to wonder if he was making her wait it out for her punishment or if he had completely forgotten about it.

(scene change)

Amelia sat under the Love Blossoms tree deep in concentration. She had to admit, she really didn't know what she was looking for. According to the Goblin King her energy has been dormant for not being used for years. She had to wake it up before she could really start figuring out what she could do. She had to find the energy that was at her core and concentrate on it to get it to wake up. It was a simple enough concept, but she really didn't know what her energy was supposed to feel like.

She opened her eyes when she heard footsteps approaching her. She was expecting Gina to be looking for her, but was surprised to see the Goblin King approaching her.

"Been looking for me?"

"Just checking on your progress," he answered. "I'm wondering if you're meditating or sleeping out here."

"To be honest, I've been doing a bit of both," she said as she stood. "It's so relaxing out here."

The wind picked up a bit, tossing their hair and causing the petals to fly around them. Jareth realized that she didn't have her hair up like it had been since her first day here. Instead of moving to straighten her hair out she turned and faced the blowing wind.

"You're hair was neglected this morning."

"No," she replied. "I finally convinced her to leave it down. I've never liked having my hair up. It's always made me feel...the best way to describe it is tied up in a way."

Jareth took a moment to really look at her. With her hair tossed and the blossom petals settled in it, she looked very much like a fae and less like a human.

"Alright, if that's how you've always felt then I'll let your hand maid know to let you decide what to do with your hair." he said.

"Thank you."

He nodded then turned to leave.  
"Wait," she said, making him stop and look at her. "The energy. I don't know what I'm looking for because I don't know what it feels like. Could you describe it for me?"

There really was no way to describe how energy felt like. He approached her and pulled off a glove and held out his hand, palm facing her. "This will be the best way."

Amelia hesitated before reaching her hand out and connecting with him, palm to palm. She looked at how his slender fingers seemed to tower over hers before she felt a sensation she had never felt before.

"Everybody's energy is different, but at the same time similar," Jareth explained. "Look for a feeling like this and concentrate on it and you should be able to wake up your magic."

She nodded, "Okay."

The feeling faded and Jareth pulled his hand from hers then pulled his glove back on. "The summer gathering will be here soon. I won't force you to go, but I would recommend it," he said, deciding not to put this off any longer.

"I would very much like to go," she replied. "I would like to meet other fae."

He nodded. "Like Lord Berch has told you, I'm a very sought out _bachelor_. I'm willing to escort you there, but other women would feel threatened or even jealous seeing you with me. New gossip might start and they might come after you like sharks."

"Let them," she said. "I'm used to people doing things like that."

"Alright. I'll be sure to have a dress ready for you then. You're hair will have to be put up for the occasion," he replied.

"I can deal with that," she said with a small smile.

(scene change)

Amelia had to admit that the dress the Goblin King had chosen for her was gorgeous. It was a deep green with the front a dark blue, but the blue wasn't as deep as the green. Golden leaves and vines was stitched into the blue fabric, the blue and stitching was integrated into the long sleeves of the dress. A trail had been stitched into the back of the dress, starting at the shoulders so it didn't drag to far behind her. The choker she was wearing with the dress was gold with an emerald embedded in the middle of it.

Her hair had been put up with a braid encircling her head, the rest put into a tight bun in the back. Makeup had been put on, but only enough to accent her stormy grey eyes and enhance her beauty further.

Amelia took a moment to look at herself in a mirror. She didn't recognize herself.

"Is it to your liking My Lady?"

She turned and regarded the goblin. "Yes, it's breathtaking," she answered as she looked back to the mirror.

There was a knock on the door and the goblin moved to open it.

"Good evening Your Majesty."

"Is she ready?"

"Yes," she answered and turned to Amelia. "My Lady, His Highness awaits you."

"Yes, of course," Amelia said, tearing her gaze from the mirror.

She met the Goblin King in the doorway. His outfit was dark, his shirt white with ruffles in the front, his collar set high and held together with a silver brooch. His overcoat had a green gleam to it, sparkling from the jewels embedded into it. The sleeves had ruffles at the ends, and the coat had a trail that didn't quite reach the floor.

"You look very beautiful," Jareth said, taking in her appearance.

"Thank you. You look very handsome," she replied, a light blush tinged her cheeks.

He smirked and held out his hand. "Shall we?"

She nodded and took his hand. The world shifted around them and they were standing in front of a large open gate.

"We walk from here," he said and explained at the confusion on her face. "It's not our realm, we're given permission to be here. We can't shift anywhere we want here."

She nodded, "Alright, sorry."

"You're learning," he replied. He shifted her hand to his arm and led her through the gates at the entrance of the realm, and down the path that led to the large house overlooking the city. Love Blossoms stood along both sides of the path they walked down. Its scent filled the air and it's petals danced on the wind around them.

The butterflies started up in her stomach as they approached the large double doors that would allow them into the large house. A large group of fae had gathered there, waiting for the doors to open.

"We're early," he said as they approached.

"It shouldn't be too much longer," a man said. "They've never been late before even when there is fighting."

Amelia turned to regard him and caught the eye of a woman shooting her an icy glare. Amelia turned her gaze away and was met with another glare from another woman. The Goblin King wasn't kidding when he said he was sought after. There were only a few women who seemed to regard her with a warm smile.

It wasn't until after the doors opened that the twittering started around them.

"Who is she?"

"She's so thin."

"How could he be interested in her?"

"It won't last."

Amelia closed her eyes for a brief moment as she let out a quiet sigh. It was the only way she was able to keep herself from rolling her eyes. She knew humans could be very shallow, but it seemed the fae were the same way.

They filed in an elegant ballroom where soft music was playing. Everybody gathered at the grand staircase where a man descended them, stopping halfway.

"We apologize for your wait outside. Please enjoy some refreshments and Teacher will be here shortly."

He disappeared back upstairs and the room buzzed as the fae started talking amongst themselves.

"Punch Your Highness?" a servant with a tray full of glasses asked.

Jareth shook his head and waved his hand, dismissing the offer.

"My Lady?" he asked, turning his attention to Amelia

"Later perhaps," she answered. She turned her attention to Jareth after the servant walked away. "Who's Teacher?"

"He's acting as the head of house until an heir is found," he answered. She followed his gaze as more fae walked in. "As you can guess there are several who have stepped forward for the job."

"I can imagine," she replied as she was greeted with more glares.

"Your Highness, it has been a while."

Amelia turned her attention back in front of her. A man had approached the two and was bowing to the Goblin King.

"It has," he simply replied.

"And who is this lovely young lady?"

"A student," he answered.

"Please call me Amelia," she said, earning a disapproving look from Jareth.

"Lady Amelia, you look lovely this evening," he said, offering his hand.

"Thank you," she said, taking the offered hand. He raised it and lightly kissed her knuckles.

The man turned his attention to Jareth. "How's the Labyrinth?"

"Fine."

"Any problems?"

"Nothing I can't handle," he said, giving the man a look of annoyance.

Amelia looked away from the two, trying to let them have a private conversation even though she was standing right there. It was hard to miss the hint of annoyance in the Goblin King's voice. She had to wonder if this man was as bad as Lord Berch.

"Lady Amelia, may I have the pleasure of having a dance with you?" he smiled at the glare Jareth gave him. "After your escort has had the first one of course."

"I would be honored sir," she answered.

He nodded to them both before he left, socializing with another couple.

"Don't give out your name so freely," Jareth said.

"It's not my real name. I can't be influenced by it," she replied.

"You can be if you recognize it as your true name," he warned.

"If I did, I would have been influenced my whole life," she said. "It's fine, don't worry about it."

(scene change)

Flix sat at his desk pouring over documents of leads. All of them leading to a dead end. He couldn't figure it out. It was like Amaltheia disappeared off the face of the earth, literally.

Not to long after he had placed her in an orphanage she was adopted by a loving woman. She had taken great care in raising Amaltheia as if she were her own child. The mortal sadly passed away recently, leaving Amaltheia alone. The problem was she couldn't be found.

Every lead they came across led them to the same one. A friend had taken her to finish raising her. Nobody knew who this friend was, not even her adopted grandparents knew who this person was, or where to find them.

He was running out of options. He would have to either seek council with a seer to find her, or find someone new to take over the head of house.

"Teacher."

Flix lifted his gaze from the papers in front of him and gave the man a weary look.

"Everybody is waiting and they won't start the festivities without their host."

"Yes, of course."

Flix rose from his seat with a sigh and followed his companion to the ballroom. Just like his companion did before he stopped halfway on the staircase, earning everybody's attention.

"Everybody, welcome to the summer gathering. A new season is upon us as is the chance for new beginnings. Please take advantage of this time to become reacquainted with each other as well as making new acquaintances. With strong friendships comes strong bonds that can never be broken. Please enjoy yourselves as we celebrate the change in season."

Applause broke as Flix made his way down the stairs and started greeting the guests. The music also started up and couples started filing out onto the dance floor.

Amelia kept her eye on Teacher for a while. There was something about him that drew her to him. She couldn't pinpoint why though.

Fae would stop as they passed them and greeted the Goblin King. No more than a few words were exchanged and it quickly became apparent to Amelia that being social was not the king's forte. He truly was a loner with only the goblins and occupants of the Labyrinth to keep him company.

Jareth soon grew bored of the little mingling he was doing and led Amelia to the dance floor. She followed his lead as he expertly swept her into the dance with the other couples.

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Yes. It's different than anything I've been to, but I'm having fun," she answered.

"_Those _social functions don't really compare."

"No, they don't," she agreed, knowing what he was getting at. The few dances she had attended while she lived on the mortal realm really didn't do this justice. It was so simple compared to the grand ballroom.

The rest of the dance and the next was spent in a comfortable silence between Jareth and Amelia. After the second dance together he guided her from the dance floor, a certain pair of eyes watching as they did so.

"Do you think you'll be alright by yourself while I socialize for a bit?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," she answered. "If you feel you need to get away for a while you can always take me on the dance floor again."

He nodded with a small smirk before leaving her. Not long afterwards he was sorry he had left the dance floor with her. He was heading back with another female who had asked him for a dance.

Amelia watched as the Goblin King swept his new partner across the dance floor. She couldn't help but feel a small pang of jealousy as she watched. Tearing her eyes from the pair she was about to seek out refreshments when she was tapped on the shoulder. She turned and came face to face with Lord Berch.

"Lady Amelia, you look lovely this evening," he greeted as he held out his hand.

"Thank you My Lord," she answered and offered her hand.

He lifted her hand and gave her knuckles a light kiss, but didn't release her hand. "May I have a dance with you?"

"Of course," she answered politely.

He led her to the dance floor just as the song was ending and he was soon sweeping her across the floor.

"Are you enjoying the summer gathering thus far?" he asked.

"Yes, very much."

"I see you've come with our beloved Goblin King," he said with a small smirk.

"He offered to be my escort tonight," she replied. "I accepted his offer since I had no other escort."

"Really? You're not here romantically with him?"

"No," she firmly said. "He is my teacher and nothing more."

"Others would greatly disagree," he replied as the dance came to an end.

Another man appeared next to them. "My Lady, may I have that dance you promised me?"

Amelia recognized him as the man who spoke to the Goblin King earlier before Teacher had made his appearance.

"Yes of course," she turned to Lord Berch. "It has been a pleasure My Lord."

"The pleasure was all mine," he replied. He gave her knuckles another kiss before giving her over to the other man.

The next dance started and they joined the couples in a slow dance.

"You looked like you could use some saving," the man said and continued at her look of confusion. "Lord Berch can be quite eccentric sometimes."

Amelia gave a nervous chuckle. "Yes, he can be."

The man gave a small chuckle of his own. "We'll just keep that between us...and everybody else here."

Amelia gave a lighter chuckle at that, easily becoming more comfortable. "You're quite the jokester...sir," she finished slowly when she realized she didn't have a name to call him.

"You may call me Father. Many fae do since I am one of the older Seers," he said.

"Father… It suits you," she replied.

"In more ways than one." Father said. "I see that you're _learning_ from my son, the Goblin King."

She blinked in surprise at that. "You're his…" she took a moment to look at him. "Ok, I see the resemblance now. Especially the eyes."

He smiled at that. "We get that a lot."

The dance ended and he led her off the dance floor. Father waved for a fae carrying drinks and gave one to Amelia.

"Thank you," she smiled as she took the glass.

"You're quite welcome," he replied and led her to an open door. "This hall holds a gallery that I would recommend seeing. It loops around so you don't have to worry about getting lost."

"Oh. I will definitely have a look," she said, looking at the open door.

"My son," he started before she could leave. "He can be cold and distant, but he has a good heart. Please remember that."

Amelia blinked in confusion but didn't get a chance to ask any questions as Father walked away, leaving her alone. She turned her attention back to the open door and walked through it.

Father walked back through the crowd, intending on finding his life partner and having a dance with her.

"Father."

He turned to the voice calling to him and found Jareth standing next to the staircase.

"Goblin King," he greeted with a smile. "Enjoying your evening?"

"What do you think you're doing?" Jareth growled.

"Doing what?"

"You know exactly what," he snapped, glancing at the door Amelia had disappeared through.

"Acquainting myself and socializing," Father answered, giving his son a stern look. "Like we're supposed to do at these functions."

"You don't have a bunch of women after you," Jareth growled.

"Then find a partner," a female said as she joined the two.

"Mother," Jareth greeted, kissing her cheek when she was in range. "You know I won't find the right one when the only thing these women are interested in is the crown."

"You should get _out _more often and _look_. We would like it if you visited more," she replied. "Although that is a lovely young lady you came with tonight."

"She's a student and nothing more," Jareth said.

Father gave his son a small smile before turning his attention to Teacher as he approached them.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but may I have a word with you, Your Highness?"

"Everybody wants my attention tonight," he muttered but followed Teacher up the stairs so they could have a more private conversation on the upper landing.

"Your Highness, I can't express how grateful I am to you for bringing her back here. Thank you for taking care of her and making sure she was safe," Flix said.

"Who?" Jareth asked, knowing full well who Teacher was talking about.

"The young lady you escorted tonight. She's the lost heir to the Head of House. After the gathering we'll take her off your hands."

"She's not leaving me or the Labyrinth," Jareth stated.

"I beg your pardon?" Flix asked.

"You heard me," Jareth said.

"Why won't you give her to us? She's an elemental. She belongs here with her people," Flix replied.

"She wished herself to the Labyrinth. I have claim over her. I decide when she leaves," Jareth said.

"You tricked her into making the wish," Flix said, his hands clenching in icy fists. "Give her to us."

"She made the wish of her own free will," Jareth firmly said. "You know the rules as does everybody else. She stays with me until I see it fit to release her."

"You bas-"

"Leave me alone! I'm not involved with him!"

Their attention was immediately drawn to them below. Amelia was surrounded by a group of women and more were quickly joining in circling her. Everybody was watching, even the musicians had stopped playing. Sensing trouble the two quickly started to make their way down the stairs.

Amelia had enjoyed the art gallery, immensely. When she exited the hall, she was almost immediately ganged up on by several women and they were steadily growing in numbers.

"Not involved with him. You're here with him," one huffed.

"He's escorting me, that's all," Amelia insisted.

"Yes, I'm sure it is," another sneered, pulling her braid loose.

"Uh-oh, lost her little crown," a woman teased.

"Just leave me alone!" Amelia yelled again. Wind picked up then, circling around her creating a whirlwind. "Not again…"

The circle of women became alarmed and started to disperse as the winds grew stronger.

"She's out of control!" someone in the crowd yelled.

"Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop," Amelia chanted, her hands covering her eyes.

Flix and Jareth had just made their way through the crowd to her when she shifted out of the place.

Flix stood there stunned for a moment then snapped to his senses. "Go out and find her!" he ordered.

"She's no longer in this realm," Jareth said before he too shifted out.

(scene change)

"Stop, stop, stop."

The wind finally died down and Amelia slowly lowered her hands and opened her eyes. She quickly spun in confusion when she realized she wasn't in the ballroom anymore. She was surrounded by trees, and none of them were the Love Blossoms she had seen.

"Just great. When I'm trying to intentionally do it, I can't but when I'm faced with something as insignificant as that I shift out of there and produce a whirlwind," she growled at herself. "Now where am I?"

She took a moment to really take in her surroundings. None of it was familiar, but at the same time it felt familiar.

"Am I in the...Labyrinth?"

Her mother had told her about the small forest that seemed to grow inside the Labyrinth and she had seen it when looking at it from the tower. It made sense why it felt familiar even though she hadn't been in it.

A twig snapped causing her to spin around. "Who's there?"

Footsteps approached her and she was able to make out a couple of small figures. She felt relief when she thought they were a couple of goblins on patrol, but she stopped herself from going near them. Something about them wasn't right.

One of them snickered as it raised it's war axe. The other unsheathed his knife and they started to take slow deliberate steps towards her.

Redcaps.

Amelia tried to stay calm as she slowly backed away, trying to conjure her magic or shift somewhere else. When nothing happened she started to panic and did the only thing she could do. She turned and ran, knowing that unless she was able to use her magic, she wasn't going to get away from them.

She ran to the left, dodging trees as she went, hoping that maybe she would be able to lose them. The footsteps behind her told her that wasn't going to happen.

Suddenly the ground gave away from under her, causing her to cry out as she fell.

The Redcaps that were following her, stopped dead in their tracks when they came face to face with a dark figure.

"I gave you fair warning to stay away and yet you keep coming back," Jareth growled as he approached them, causing them to back away. "Then you have the nerve to go after someone from my court."

"W-we didn't know," one of them stuttered.

"This mistake is one I cannot forgive," Jareth said as he raised his hand.

"No, Your Majesty," the other begged. "Please have mercy."

"I've shown you plenty of mercy," Jareth growled. His hand dropped, causing rain to downpour. The Redcaps screamed in agony as the color of their caps started running.

(scene change)

Amelia fell onto her hands and knees, expecting to fall to her death, only to find herself on some kind of stone. She looked around to find herself on a path of some kind. She stood up and started to get her bearings then rain started pouring down.

"Just great," she muttered to herself.

"You used to like the rain."

That voice. It was so familiar.

"Yeah. You used to like playing in it," another voice said.

Amelia looked up and saw the two sprites she used to play with when she was a child. Tears of happiness welled in her eyes and she took a few steps towards them.

"Stop!" they yelled in unison, but it was too late.

Amelia yelped as she fell again. Branches hit against her as she fell. She gave another yell as she stopped short and dangled by the trail of her dress. She reached up, intending to try to set herself free, but an awful smell hit her nostrils causing her to gag.

"Can this get any worse?!" she yelled.

"Careful, you don't want to touch the water," one sprite said.

"I know," Amelia replied. She strained to see through the rain, but managed to see the land wasn't to far away from where she hung.

"Don't swing." the other sprite cautioned. "With the force you'll end up pulling yourself loose and you'll fall in the water."

"What do you suggest?" Amelia asked.

"Use your magic to gently push yourself forward and we'll cut you loose," the first one answered.

"I can't. I don't know how."

The second sprite flew up to Amelia's face and looked her in the eye. "You can do this. Concentrate."

Amelia felt encouraged by her words and thought. If she could summon a whirlwind to push her forward, she might make it. She closed her eyes in concentration and felt the wind give her a push forward. As the sprites promised they cut her loose at the right moment and she safely fell into the mud.

"Thanks," she said, looking up at her friends. Her happiness was short lived again when movement was heard nearby. She looked over and saw a dark figure heading towards them. "No, no, no."

She quickly got to her feet and started running again.

Jareth gave a small sigh before shifting right in front of Amelia, causing her to collide with him. He firmly, but gently grabbed her so she couldn't run from him.

"You're safe now."

She looked up, recognizing his voice. "Goblin King."

"You're safe," he repeated.

She lowered her gaze, guilt rising in her. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head, dismissing the apology. "Don't worry about it," he said before shifting them back to her room at the castle.

They startled the goblin that was in her room, preparing it for when Amelia returned. Needless to say she didn't expect them back so soon.

"Get her out of these clothes and dried," Jareth ordered.

"Yes Sire," she said and started pulling Amelia towards the changing screen.

Jareth shifted out to the kitchens and ordered tea to be made for Amelia and then shifted to his own quarters. He took his time to change, giving Amelia time to get dried and changed herself.

"Did everything go alright tonight Sire?" a goblin asked, bringing his king a towel to dry with.

"It could have been worse," he answered.

"Bad luck to have the rain start as you and our Lady got back," the goblin said as he tended to the fire in the hearth.

"I started the rain," Jareth said.

"Sire?"

"It will be raining for a few days," he explained. "The Redcaps came back. I'm tired of dealing with them, I'm going to flush them out."

"Hopefully they'll learn this time," the goblin replied.

"Perhaps," Jareth said, tossing the towel aside. He dressed then shifted to Amelia's door and knocked. Her personal hand maid answered it. "Is she presentable?"

"Yes Your Majesty," she said, opening the door for him. The look he gave her as he passed was enough to tell her to leave the two alone. She closed the door behind her as she left.

Amelia glanced up at the Goblin King then back at the lit hearth in front of her.

"Look at me."

Reluctantly Amelia raised her eyes back up to him.

"What happened?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. It's not the first time it's happened."

Jareth waved his hand, producing a chair next to her and sat down in it. "We have nothing but time," he said, looking at her expectantly.

"It's happened before," she sighed. "When I was still pretty young a group of kids surrounded me one day after school and started taunting me. A couple of them even threw rocks at me. What you saw happened and I never really was bothered again after that. I don't know how it happens, it just happens."

"There is one thing I am certain after what I saw tonight," Jareth said after a moment. "You're an elemental which means I won't really be able to teach you much of anything."

"Then what are we going to do?" she asked.

"I'll bring in someone who can teach you," he answered as he stood.

"Wait," she said, making him stop. "I'm sorry for earlier. If what I did ruined your reputation or anything-"

He shook his head. "Only I could ruin my reputation, not you," he said making his chair disappear.

"And thanks for coming after me," she said.

"I told you, I made a promise and I intend to keep it."

_A/N: Bandchildforever, thank you again for bringing the missing line break to my attention. You have no idea how grateful I am for that. Thank you Bloodrose girl, Bandchildforever and roserain1998 for leaving reviews and thank you to those who are taking the time to read my story. You guys give me the motivation to keep planning and writing this story. Please, if anyone gets confused, please let me know either through a review or a pm. I hope you continue to enjoy this because I'm really enjoying writing this. Thanks, and as always please R&R. _


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